Shoe and heel assembly



Dec. 29, 1964 y LU I 3,162,961

SHOE AND HEEL ASSEMBLY Filed June 25, 1965 INVENTOR JEssR. MlLUG-AN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,162,961 SHOE AND HEEL ASSEMBLY Jess R. Milligan, New York, N.Y. (104-40 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills 75, N.Y.) Filed June 25, 1963, Ser. No. 290,445 2 Claims. (Cl. 36-25) This invention relates to shoes, and more particularly to an improved heel for a ladies high heel shoe or slipper.

It is the present practice to construct the heels of ladies high heel shoes of plastic and to have the lower end of the heel provided with a cap secured to the heel by a metal pin extending upwardly from the cap into a bore or recess formed in the lower end portion of the heel. One of the primary defects of this type of heel construction is that when the cap or lift wears, it wears unevenly thereby causing a bending stress to be imposed on the heel. Consequently, the heel usually eventually snaps or breaks across the lower narrow part thereof. Also, the plastic heels are adversely affected by changes in temperature. During the summer period, heat causes the plastic to soften and thereby become weaker, and during the winter months the plastic is made brittle by the extreme low temperatures. Thus, when a plastic heel is weakened by high temperatures in the summer and made brittle by low temperatures in the winter, it there- 'by breaks very easily. From the above, it is apparent that plastic heels usually have a short life and require constant replacement during the life of a shoe on which they are used.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a heel for a ladies high heel shoe which overcomes the above disadvantages, is durable and reliable in use, and will outlast the shoe on which it is used.

It is another object of the invention to provide a heel for a ladies shoe which is not only strong, durable and reliable in use, but is also of a light weight, since it is preferably composed of material such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, plastic etc., having a low specific gravity.

It is another object of the invention to provide a heel having a lift or cap secured to the lower end thereof by means which rigidly secures the lift to the heel during use, but yet readily permits the lift to be replaced on the heel by a new lift. This is of particular advantage since heel caps or lifts on ladies high heel shoes normally wear at a fast rate due to the small size thereof and the extreme unit pressures applied thereto in use.

It is still another object of the invention to provide -a heel cap or lift which may be easily and quickly removed from and replaced on a heel without requiring special tools or any particular skill on the part of the person replacing the lift.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a heel assembly that is attached to a shoe by removable means thereby permitting the heel assembly to be easily and quickly secured to or removed from a shoe without requiring any special tools or any special skill on the part of the person removing or applying the heel.

,It is still yet another object of the invention to provide a heel for a ladies shoe of such design that it is readily adapted for mass production and is extremely economical to manufacture.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away showing a conventional shoe With my novel heel assembly mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of my novel heel assembly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantiallyon the plane of line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

As shown in the drawings, my novel heel assembly 10 is mounted on a conventional ladies shoe or slipper 12.

Shoe 12 is preferably composed of leather and comprises a body 14 having a lower peripheral edge 16 secured to the edges of a flexible outer sole 18. An inner sole 20 overlies the lower edge 16 of body 14' and the outer sole 18.

As illustrated more clearly in FIG. 3, the heel assembly 10 comprises a heel 22, a washer 24, a lift or cap 26 and a securing plate 28.

The heel 22 has an outside size and shape similar to heels presently used on conventional ladies high heeled shoes. The heel has a small lower end which gradually increases at an increasing rate in size in an upward di rection and terminates in a relatively large upper end. As shown in FIG. 4, the heel is of generally U-shape cross section and comprises a semi-circular rear surface 30, fiat side surfaces 32, which are parallel to one another and a front surface 34 extending perpendicular to the side surfaces. The front and rear surfaces are relatively narrow at the bottom of the heel and gradually increase in size in an upward direction. These surfaces also curve forwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 36 and 38 so as to blend with the shoe for artistic purposes and increase the size of the upper portion of the heel so as to improve the strength thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, the side surfaces 32 of the heel also curve away from one another at an increasing ratein an upward direction so that the upper portions of the side surfaces merge with and blend smoothly with the side surfaces of body 14-.

The heel 22 is preferably composed of a lightweight material having a high strength. I have found that aluminum or aluminum alloy is ideally suited for this. purpost. Another suitable material for the heel is Celcon, an acetal resin. Although the heel may be made by other methods, I have found that the heel may be easily and economically made by die casting, especially when it is made of metal.

In order to decrease the weight of the heel, I provide a recess 40 in the upper end thereof which is of generally triangular cross sectional shape as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the recess 40 has substantially the same horizontal cross sectional shape as the heel so that the wall portions of the heel defining the recess are all substantially the same thickness.

In order to secure the heel 22 to a ladies shoe, I provide a plate 28 also preferably composed of a light weight metal such as aluminum or aluminum alloy. The plate 28 is formed of sheet material and has an outside shape and size the same as that of the upper end of the heel as shown in FIG. 3. The plate 28 is preferably also provided with a recess or aperture 42 therethrough, similar in size and shape to the upper end of recess 40. The recess 42 not only decreases the weight of plate 28 Plate 28 is provided with a plurality of spaced cham- I fered bores 44 for receiving a plurality of flat headed screws 46. As shown in FIG. 3, heel 22 is provided with a plurality of threaded recesses or bores 48 spaced in the same manner as the bores 44 and adapted to threadedly receive the lower ends of the screws 46 passing through plate 28. I

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plate 28 is preferably located between soles 18 and at the rear of the shoe. Bores are provided in the rear of the outer sole 18 so as to match the holes or bores 44. Heel 22 is secured to shoe 12 by passing screws 4-6 through bores 44 and the bores in sole 18 and'threading the screws into the threaded recesses 48 of the heel.

After the heel is installed, the inner sole 20 is installed in the shoe so as to overlie the plate 28. "As illustrated in 'FIG. 1, the inner sole 20 overlies the recess 42 in plate 28. Since the recess 42 is directly below the heel of the wearer of the shoe, the wearers heel may depress the inner sole into recess 42 thereby permitting the inner sole to flex to form fit the heel of'the wearer and to absorb shocks. This flexing and form fitting of the inner sole obviously increases the comfort of the shoe. Since the flexing of the inner sole also absorbs shock when heel 22 contacts a walking surface, the pressure imposed on the lower end of the heel is thereby decreased thereby increasing the lift of the heel.

To increase the wearing qualities of the heel, I provide a wear resistant and replaceable cap or lift 26 secured tothe lower end of the heel. As illustrated, cap 26 com.- prises 'a flat disc 50 preferably of circular configuration integrally secured to a threaded stud 52 so as to be con centric therewith. A lock washer 24 normally receives the stud 52 and abuts the upper surface of disc 56. A threaded recess 54 is provided in the lower end of the heel for receiving stud 52 and removabl-y securing disc 50 to heel 22. Disc 59 has the same radius as the lower end of curved surface 30.

Although disc 59 may becomposed of any wear resistant material, it is preferably composed of a wear resistant material such as tempered aluminum alloy, harding suitable frictional characteristics such as nylon or cork. When stud 52 is threaded tight into recess 54 as illustrated in, FIGS. 1' and 2, washer 24 is compressed thereby frictionally gripping heel 22 and disc was to prevent relative rotation therebctween during use.

The cap or lift 26 may obviously be attached and removed from heel 22 by conventional tools such as pliers or wrenches. However, preferably when the shoe 12 is sold, the buyer is furnished with a special spanner-type tool adapted to receive and rotate cap 26. Disc 50 is preferably provided with peripheral serrations 56 adapted to fit within a serrated aperture within a spanner-type tool. The serrations are also useful for more effectively gripping the disc 50'with other type tools.

The heel 22 can also be formed from sheet metal and the upper edges of recess 40 could be overlapped or provided with inwardly extending flanges for receiving the screws 46. I

Heel 22 is preferably formed of die cast aluminum or aluminum alloy and may have a natural metallic finish,

an anodized finish in various colors, or may becovered with leather or other. material to match the body 14.

Conventional heels which are usually made. of plastic usually break or snap in the area A when the lift or cap' thereon becomes worn as explained above. However, since my heel is composed of metal, or some other strong material, it does not break or snap in use even when the lift becomes eccentrically worn. Of course, when the lift does become worn, it may be easily replaced by a new one as explained above. a

Inasmuch as various changes may be made in the'form,

locationand relative arrangement of the'several parts without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited except by the scope 'of the appended claims. I V t I claim: 1. An aluminum, or the like, ladies? shoe heel having a removable and replaceable lift,

the upper portion of the heel which is approximately one-half the length of the heel being hollow and having a substantially centrally disposed opening therein leading into said hollow portion defined by a relatively narrow heel mounting rim, the lower portion of the heel being gradually reduced in cross-sectional thickness with respectto the upper portion thereof and comprising approximately onehalf of thelength of the heel, a threaded bore centrally in and axially of the bottom portion of the heel and with the remainder of the bottom portion thereof being solid, a removable and replaceable lift, said lift including an outer Wear portion and a threaded stud for removable engagement in said threaded bore, an attaching plate in the form and of substantially. the dimensions of the said heel mounting rim and said plate having a central opening of substantially the 7 in alignment with the rim and the opening in the heel, an inner sole of the shoe to extend over the attaching plate, interengaging means'for'securing the heel to the shoe and which means is adapted to extend from the attaching plate through the subjacent outer sole to the rim on the upper end of the heel'for thus permanently securing the heel to the shoe, and the heel as attached to a shoe will, due to the downward pressure of a wearcrs heel in'the shoe, allow that portion of the inner sole and a subjacent portion of the outer sole to be flexed slightly into the aligned openings in said attaching plate and in the heel and provide for a greater comfort to the wearer. 2. A ladies shoe construction comprising a body upper, a sole portion, an insole, and a heel comprising an elongate, one-piece body part consisting of a dense, rigid material,

said heel body part havinga top end portion a top surface, 7 l said heel body part having a bottom end portion, said heel being of the spike heel type'and said bottom .end portion of said heelv being of solid form and comprising approximately half'the length of the body part, I r I said top end portion of said heel comprising the upper half of the length of the body part and being hollow forming a chamber, said chamber having relatiyely thin walls as compared to the thickness of the bottom end of said bottom end portion, said chamber having an open top, said top end portion having a top surface having upon which the rear part of the shoe sole lies and covers said a portion secured said plate having apertures therein aligned with bores in the said top surface of the body part,

securing elements passing through said apertures and through the sole into and secured in said bores to secure the plate, said lower edge portion of the upper, the sole and the body part of the heel solidly together,

said insole overlying said plate,

the said plate aperture forming a heel cushioning chamber between the insole and the shoe sole and the shoe sole and the open top of said chamber therebeneath in the body part contributing to the cusll oning action of said heel cushioning chamber,

and a lift member secured to the bottom of said bottom end portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 9/60 Great Britain. 11/56 Italy.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

15 FRANK I.

COHEN, Examiner. 

1. AN ALUMINUM, OR THE LIKE, LADIES'' SHOE HEEL HAVING A REMOVABLE AND REPLACEABLE LIFT, THE UPPER PORTION OF THE HEEL WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF THE LENGTH OF THE HEEL BEING HOLLOW AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY DISPOSED OPENING THEREIN LEADING INTO SAID HOLLOW PORTION DEFINED BY A RELATIVELY NARROW HEEL MOUNTING RIM, THE LOWER PORTION OF THE HEEL BEING GRADUALLY REDUCED IN CROSS-SECTION THICKNESS WITH RESPECT TO THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF AND COMPRISING APPROXIMATELY ONEHALF OF THE LENGTH OF THE HEEL, A THREADED BORE CENTRALLY IN AND AXIALLY OF THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE HEEL AND WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE BOTTOM PORTION THEREOF BEING SOLID, A REMOVABLE AND REPLACEABLE LIFT, SAID LIFT INCLUDING AN OUTER WEAR PORTION AND A THREADED STUD FOR REMOVABLE ENGAGEMENT IN SAID THREADED BORE, AN ATTACHING PLATE IN THE FORM AND OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE DIMENSIONS OF THE SAID HEEL MOUNTING RIM AND SAID PLATE HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE AS THE SAID OPENING IN THE HEEL, THE ATTACHING PLATE BEING POSITIONABLE ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE HEEL PART OF THE OUTER SOLE OF THE SHOE THAT EXTENDS OVER THE OPENING IN THE HEEL AND THE RIM THEREOF AND SAID PLATE AND THE OPENING THEREIN BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RIM AND THE OPENING IN THE HEEL, AN INNER SOLE OF THE SHOE TO EXTEND OVER THE ATTACHING PLATE, INTERENGAGING MEANS FOR SECURING THE HEEL TO THE SHOE AND WHICH MEANS IS ADAPTED TO EXTEND FROM THE ATTACHING PLATE THROUGH THE SUBJACENT OUTER SOLE TO THE RIM ON THE UPPER END OF THE HEEL FOR THUS PERMANENTLY SECURING THE HEEL TO THE SHOE, AND THE HEEL AS ATTACHED TO A SHOE WILL, DUE TO THE DOWNWARD PRESSURE OF A WEARER''S HEEL IN THE SHOE, ALLOW THAT PORTION OF THE INNER SOLE AND A SUBJACENT PORTION OF THE OUTER SOLE TO BE FLEXED SLIGHTLY INTO THE ALIGNED OPENINGS IN SAID ATTACHING PLATE AND IN THE HEEL AND PROVIDE FOR A GREATER COMFORT TO THE WEARER. 